Method of fabricating micrometer scale components

ABSTRACT

A method for manufacturing micrometer scale components comprises depositing a first metal on a substrate, depositing a second metal in a mold, and alloying the first and second metals together to form the component.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to the field of micromanufacturing and more specifically, to fabrication of micrometer scale components.

BACKGROUND

Energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) exploits the drop in a magnetic disk medium's coercivity when the disk's temperature is raised to near the Curie level. In some EAMR systems, heat from laser light is directed onto the disk surface via a near-field transducer. This requires micrometer scale components in the write head of the disk that have good optical properties and good heat resistance to direct the laser light onto the near-field transducer. Micrometer scale components are difficult to manufacture, for example, scales between 20-40 μm are too small for traditional machining and too large for photolithographic methods.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention is illustrated by way of example, and not limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a method for manufacturing micrometer scale components according to an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary manufacturing process implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates a second exemplary manufacturing process implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 4 are SEM images comparing a micrometer scale catoptric structure manufactured in accordance with an embodiment of the invention to a polymer catoptric structure;

FIG. 5 illustrates a hard drive implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 6 illustrates a EAMR head 220 implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth, such as examples of specific layer compositions and properties, to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent however, to one skilled in the art that these specific details need not be employed to practice various embodiments of the present invention. In other instances, well known components or methods have not been described in detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring various embodiments of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention include micrometer components and methods of manufacturing them. In some embodiments, the components have high temperature stability, good thermal conductivity, long life, and low surface roughness.

FIG. 1 illustrates a method for micrometer scale manufacturing according to an embodiment of the invention. In step 104, a micrometer scale mold of the structure to be manufactured is formed. In some embodiments, the mold is manufactured at the wafer level or chip level. A mold, or array of molds, is formed in a substrate, such as glass, epoxy, or metal. In some embodiments, the mold can be made using a diamond turning with step-and-repeat process or using a reflow with resistive ion etching (RIE) process.

In the component manufacturing process, a release layer is first applied 105 to the mold. In various embodiments, the material for the release layer can comprise a metal, such as Au, or other release material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or TEFLON). The release layer may further comprise combinations of different materials. In particular embodiments, the release material is determined according to mold material type. For glass and epoxy molds, the release material can comprise a metal, while for metal molds, the release material can comprise a polymer such as PTFE. In a particular embodiment, a Au release layer is deposited on an epoxy substrate.

In the component manufacturing process, a release layer is first applied 105 to the mold. In various embodiments, the material for the release layer can comprise a metal, such as Au, or other release material such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or TEFLON). The release layer may further comprise combinations of different materials. In particular embodiments, the release material is determined according to mold material type. For glass and epoxy molds, the release material can comprise a metal, while for metal molds, the release material can comprise a polymer such as PTFE. In a particular embodiment, a Au release layer is deposited on an epoxy substrate.

The second metal placed into the mold comprises a metal that is usable as a solder material, for example, the second metal may comprise a low melting temperature metal such as In, Sn, Ag, Au, Ge, Ga, Bi, Cu, or Pb, or alloys from alloys systems comprising such elements. In some embodiments, the second metal may be deposited in the mold using thin film deposition or electro-plating. In other embodiments, the second metal may be placed in the mold as a sphere or other preform shape. In particular embodiments, the second metal comprises microspheres coated with an oxidation preventing material, such as Au.

In step 108, the first and second metals are alloyed together to form the micrometer scale component. In some embodiments, the step of alloying comprises subjecting the mold and substrate assembly to a reflow soldering process. For example, the assembly may be reflow soldered in a forming gas atmosphere to prevent oxidation. In some embodiments, the step of alloying comprises pressing the substrate including the first metal coating towards the mold. In addition to ensuring complete molding, the step of pressing may crack oxides on the surface of the solder metal, improving the wetting of the solder metal to the metal coated substrate. The height between the mold and the substrate may be controlled by a mechanical stop.

In embodiments, where the release layer is also a metal, the release layer itself may alloy with the first and second metals to form the component. The composition and distribution of the manufactured component may be determined by modifying the various amounts and compositions of the materials used.

FIG. 2 illustrates a manufacturing process of a micrometer scale component implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. As described above, a micrometer scale mold 115 is coated with a release material 116. In the illustrated embodiment, mold 115 comprises a mold for a micrometer scale catoptric structure, such as a parabolic reflector. In other embodiments, the mold may comprise a mold for components such as micrometer scale gears, for example for use in flow meters. After the mold 115 is coated with release layer 116, an assembly comprising a substrate 118, a first metal 119 coated on the substrate, and a second metal 117 is assembled. In some embodiments, the first metal or the second metal comprises In, Sn, Ag, Au, Ge, Ga, Bi, Cu, or Pb. In further embodiments, the first and second metals are selected such that the second metal 117 wets to and alloys with the first metal 119 during a reflow soldering process. In still further embodiments, the first metal 119 and second metal 117 are selected such that the alloy formed between the metals has a higher liquidus temperature than the second metal. In some embodiments, this allows subsequent temperature cycling in later manufacturing steps and improved heat resistance during the component's lifetime. In embodiments subject to large amounts of heat, such as laser minors, the metals may be selected for their thermal properties as well.

After an alloying step, the component 120 is formed as an alloy between the metals 117 and 119. In the illustrated embodiment, the substrate and coating 119 are configured such that after removal from the mold and release layer 116, the component 120 retains its attachment to substrate 118. In other embodiments, the substrate 118 may be configured to release the component 120.

In the illustrated embodiment, the component 120 may be exposed to further processing steps. For example, if metals chosen for the body do not have the desired reflective properties, a layer of reflective material, such as Au, may be used to coat the substrate 120. In some embodiments, the component 120 comprises a catoptric structure, the catoptric structure comprising a catoptric face 121 having a parabolic profile. In particular embodiments, the catoptric face has an area less than about 1,000 μm² and a base region 122 of the catoptric structure has an area less than about 600 μm². The surface roughness of components manufactured in these methods may be very low, for example less than about 0.5 microns.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the invention utilizing a metal release layer. In the illustrated embodiment, release layer 136 is a third metal material that alloys with the metals 117 and 119. In this embodiment, in addition to wetting with the first metal 119, the second metal 117 also wets to the release metal 136. After reflow, the component 130 comprises an alloy of the three metals 117, 119, and 136. In further embodiments, the release material 136 layer or the reflow process is configured such that after reflow, the component 130 further comprises a substantially pure layer 137 of the third material. This may be used, for example, to produce a reflective coating on the component 130 in a single processing step. For example, metal 136 may comprise Au and after alloying, the component 130 comprises a layer 137 of substantially pure Au that serves as a reflective coating. In particular embodiments, the first and third metals are the same or are from the same alloy system. For example, the first and third metal may comprise In, Sn, Ag, Au, Ge, Ga, Bi, Cu, or Pb, or may be selected from alloy systems that include these elements. In a particular embodiment, the first 119 and third 136 metals comprise Au and the second metal 117 comprises In.

FIG. 4 shows scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of a micrometer-scale parabolic mirror according to an embodiment of the invention compared to a micrometer-scale polymer based parabolic mirror. The structure 150 was formed using a micrometer scale molding process as described above. A Au release layer on an epoxy mold was used, Au was used on the substrate, and In was deposited into the release metal coated mold. The structure 160 was formed using a polymer molding process, after molding, the polymer was coated in Au to form a reflective surface. As the Figure illustrates, the catoptric face 151 of the mirror 150 is substantially smoother than the face 161 of the mirror 160. In particular, large bumps 162 in the face 161 form a rough surface due to issues in releasing the polymer from the mold. Additionally, the structures are prone to puckered formations 163.

FIG. 5 illustrates a hard drive 200 implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Hard drive 200 may include one or more disks 210 to store data. Disk 210 resides on a spindle assembly 260 that is mounted to drive housing 280. Data may be stored along tracks in the magnetic recording layer of disk 200. The reading and writing of data is accomplished with head 220 that has both read and write elements. The write element is used to alter the properties of the perpendicular magnetic recording layer of disk 200. In one embodiment, head 220 may have magneto-resistive (MR), or giant magneto-resistive (GMR) elements. In an alternative embodiment, head 220 may be another type of head, for example, an inductive read/write head or a Hall effect head. In the illustrated embodiment, the hard drive 200 is a heat or energy assisted magnetic recording (EAMR) drive and incorporates components of a laser source, a mirror of the type described above, and a near-field transducer (not depicted). Techniques in generating and focusing a laser beam are known in the art, and thus, are not described in particular detail. A spindle motor (not shown) rotates spindle assembly 260 and, thereby, disk 200 to position head 220 at a particular location along a desired disk track. The position of head 220 relative to disk 200 may be controlled by position control circuitry 270.

FIG. 6 illustrates a EAMR head 220 implemented in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A laser 300 shines a diverging laser beam 301 onto the catoptric surface of a catoptric structure 303. In the illustrated embodiment, the catoptric structure comprises a parabolic mirror. The diverging laser light 301 is collimated by the catoptric structure 303 to form a collimated laser beam 302. The collimated laser beam is directed by the catoptric structure 303 onto a waveguide 304, for example, onto a grating disposed on the waveguide 304. Waveguide 304 transmits the laser energy to near field transducer 305. The near field transducer focuses the laser energy to a spot on the disk 200, heating the disk to reduce its coercivity and assist in magnetic recording.

In the foregoing specification, embodiments of the invention have been described with reference to specific exemplary features thereof. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The specification and figures are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for forming a micrometer scale component, comprising: providing a mold; disposing a first coating of a release material on the entire surface of the mold, the first coating comprising a single layer of material; disposing a second coating of a first metal on a substrate; disposing a second metal on the coated mold; alloying the second metal with the first metal to form a micrometer scale component; and removing the component from the mold and release material; wherein the release material comprises a third metal; wherein the step of alloying the second metal with the first metal comprises alloying the second metal, the first metal, and the third metal, and wherein the first coating of the release layer comprising the third metal has a thickness such that, after the step of alloying, the micrometer scale component comprises a substantially pure layer of the third metal at a surface of the micrometer scale component.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal and the third metal are the same or are from the same alloy system.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second metal is wettable with the first metal and the third metal.
 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the first metal and the second metal are selected such that the alloy of the first metal and the second metal has a higher liquidus temperature than the second metal.
 5. The method of claim 3, wherein the first metal and the second metal comprise In, Sn, Ag, Au, Ge, Ga, Bi, Cu, or Pb.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of alloying the second metal with the first metal further comprises alloying the second metal with the first metal and the third metal.
 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of alloying the second metal with the first metal and the third metal comprises reflow soldering.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising moving the substrate to a predetermined distance from the mold during the step of alloying.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the micrometer scale component comprises a catoptric structure. 